Prisons and Prejudice

Opening Question: Have you ever like you were in
prison? You
couldn't go where you wanted or do what you wanted to do. Someone
bossed you around.

First Reading: Isaiah 43: 18-19, 21, 24-25

Joseph lived a long time ago in a time without TV or computers, or
video games. He lived in a country his parents said was not his own.
And he lived in a neighborhood controlled by people who claimed to be
his enemy.

Why weren't his people free? Joseph thought. Why couldn't they
go home? Joseph asked a lot of people. Finally, his grandfather gave
him a straight answer. "Joseph," his grandfather sighed, "we
are prisoners in a land not our own. People in this city hate us."

"Why are we here, grandfather?" Joseph asked.

"Because we were so selfish, we didn't see the enemy coming.
Because we were so selfish, we didn't treat each other well enough
to band together and show a united strength. Because we were so
selfish, we stopped praying to God," his grandfather replied.

The next year, everything changed. A new leader came to the city.
Joseph's people were freed. They went home to rebuild their city
and their lives. God had forgiven their selfishness and gave them new
hope.

Bridging Question: Do you know of anyone who has to
use a
wheelchair? How are they like everyone else?

Gospel: Mark 2:1-12

Reader 1:

A few days after he healed the leper, Jesus returned to
Capernaum.
People heard, "Jesus is back home." So many people came to his
house that they couldn't fit around his front door. And Jesus
explained God's message to them.

Reader 2:

Then, four men tried to bring in a paralyzed man on a
stretcher,
but could not reach Jesus because of the crowd. So, they removed the
roof above Jesus, dug through the ceiling, and lowered the man. When
Jesus saw the strength of their trust in him, he said to the
paralyzed man, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

Reader 1:

Some of the experts in the Law of Moses sat in the crowd
and felt
shock. "Why does he say these things? He insults God!" the
experts thought. "Who else has the power to forgive sin but God?"

Reader 2:

Immediately, Jesus sensed what they were thinking. "Why
do you
wonder about what I said?" Jesus asked. "What's easier to say:
"Your sins are forgiven' or "Get up, pick up your stretcher,
and walk.' So you'll know that the Son of Man has the power to
forgive sins here and now," Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and
told him, "Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home." He got
up, picked up his stretcher, and walked out in front of everyone.
"We've never seen anything like this before!" everyone
exclaimed.

Danny was a good kid, but sometimes he would say the wrong thing.
He would speak before he thought. And his mouth would get him in
trouble.

At gym, one day, Danny was a team captain for basketball. As they
were choosing kids to be on their teams, a new kid appear in gym
clothes. Rolling his way out to the court in a wheelchair. Danny said
to the other captain, "The new kid is yours. How can he play
basketball in a wheelchair?" Doug, the new kid in the wheelchair
just smiled.

At first, everyone ignored Doug, but that didn't stop his
hustle. Soon Doug was in the thick of the action and stole the ball.
Everyone ran down to the opposite court while Doug rolled and
dribbled. Doug turned on one wheel and shot the ball from half court
with one hand. Whooosh! The ball went into the basket. All net.

Danny mumbled something about luck. Doug just smiled, as he rolled
back into the action. Again Doug stole the ball. One of his team
mates ran down court. Doug threw him a perfect pass and the teammate
scored. Danny just grunted.

Through the entire game, Doug dominated the play. Fancy passes and
fancy shots. Doug did it all from his wheelchair. When the bell rang,
Doug rolled over to Danny. "Next time I can be on your team."
Doug began to roll away. Danny stood there speechless.

"Doug! Wait!" Danny called out as he ran over to the boy in
the wheelchair. "I'm sorry about what I said."

"Sometimes disabilities are more than physical," Doug said.
For a moment both boys said nothing. Then Doug added, "I forgive
you. Say, what are you doing for lunch, Danny?"

Danny smiled, "Playing games in the computer lab. Do you want to
play?"

"Sure," Doug replied. That day, a prejudice died and a
friendship began.

Sometimes disabilities are more than physical. Prejudices disable
our hearts. Jesus recognized that when he forgave the paralyzed man.
His disability was nothing like the hard hearts the experts in the
Law of Moses had. They couldn't see that forgiveness can heal a
disability. Jesus had to prove it to them.

That's the lesson Danny learned. Let's learn it, too.

Closing Question: How can people with disabilities
help us? How
have you let them help you?

Seventh Sunday

in Ordinary Time

Cycle B

Permission for use. All
materials found in word-sunday.com are the property of Larry Broding
(Copyright 1999-2018). Viewers may copy any material found in these
pages for their personal use or for use in any non-profit ministry.
Materials may not be sold or used for personal financial gain.